Get Involved and Volunteer | Greenhound Canada

Help us contribute to the community

Our vision is to enhance the livability of our urban areas and provide green spaces for people to rest and cope with illness, stress, and mental health challenges. We aim to develop botanical gardens in Canadian urban areas that will be freely accessible for people to come to relax, learn plant care techniques, share plants, take therapeutic classes, and interact with others. We also aim to complement the plant-sharing community by making plants more accessible to all regions. Our goal is to contribute to the community and have an impact to mental health wellness of all Canadians.

Volunteer

Help us organize events, take care of our plants in our collection, engage others with social media, help with the fundraising store.

Collect & Swap

If you like to collect and/or propagate plants and want to interact with us, we are happy to work together to grow a shareable collection of plants which will be made available.

Teach Classes

Help lead classes on plant care, propagation, and species differentiation. Facilitate mindfulness and therapeutic classes.

Organize

Start an event or help fundraise to create a dedicated garden space in your own town with our help.

Donate to Help Build Community Gardens

Your contribution will help create community greenspace healing gardens across Canada. Our goal is to support community and mental health wellness.

Connect with us

Reach out and let us know if you have ideas, would like to collaborate, and get involved. Look forward to hearing from you

Recommended readings

An, M., Colarelli, S. M., O'Brien, K., & Boyajian, M. E. (2016). Why we need more nature at work: Effects of natural elements and sunlight on employee mental health and work attitudes. PloS one, 11(5), e0155614

Clinebell, H. (2013). Ecotherapy: Healing ourselves, healing the earth. Routledge.

Franklin, D. (2012). “How hospital gardens help patients heal: Hospital gardens turn out to have medical benefits.” Scientific American.

Friedli, L. (2009). “Social prescribing for mental health – a guide to commissioning and delivery.” Care Services Improvement Partnership, North West Development Centre.

Husted, K. (2012). “Can gardening help troubled minds heal?” The Salt. Hutchinson, S. (2011).

Orr, D. W., Roszak, T., Gomes, M. E., Macy, J., Andrews, C., & McKibben, B. (2010). Ecotherapy: Healing with nature in mind. Catapult.

Park, S. H., & Mattson, R. H. (2009). Ornamental indoor plants in hospital rooms enhanced health outcomes of patients recovering from surgery. The journal of alternative and complementary medicine, 15(9), 975-980.

Ryan, R. M., Weinstein, N., Bernstein, J., Brown, K. W., Mistretta, L., & Gagne, M. (2010). Vitalizing effects of being outdoors and in nature. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 30(2), 159-168.

Kingsley, J., Townsend, M. & Henderson-Wilson, C. (2009). “Cultivating health and wellbeing: members’ perceptions of the health benefits of a Port Melbourne community garden.” Leisure Studies, 28:2, 207-219.

Mind. (2007). “Ecotherapy: The green agenda for mental health.” London.